Title: Valley Girl

Location & Date: Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park | 2015

Camera Set-Up: Nikon D800 200-400mm @ 400mm

Shutter Speed: 1/500th

Aperture: 5.6

ISO: 1600

Note:

Hayden Valley is one of Yellowstone National Park’s most famous and important areas for grizzly bears, providing excellent habitat and an abundance of food. Over the years, one grizzly sow in particular has been responsible for many of the bruins that roam the sage-covered, high elevation valley floor. One of her recent contributions is a female grizzly known as Valley Girl. Slightly undersized, incredibly beautiful and with a bit of an attitude, this sub-adult grizzly became a common sight in the summer of 2015 if you reached Hayden before dawn. On this particular morning, we were able to capture a single shot before we let her be, knowing she would continue her zig-zag grazing pattern close to the road (in other words, away from bigger back-country boars), but away from prying eyes for at least a few hours, thanks to the protective cover of thick fog.